Wokingham councillors said the Government “heard our concerns” after a ministerial meeting on the borough’s school funding.

Councillor Charlotte Haitham Taylor, executive member for children’s services, said the meeting with The Right Hon Nick Gibb MP, school standards minister, was positive and he had recognised “the unique position of schools in the borough.”

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Wokingham borough schools are the lowest funded in the country, as a result of a ‘postcode lottery’ grant system which historically saw money apportioned according to the needs of the area, leaving schools in affluent boroughs like Wokingham worse off.

Wokingham leader Cllr Keith Baker and schools lead Cllr Charlotte Haitham Taylor were among the members who met The Right Hon Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for School Standards (Image: UGC TMS)

In 2015/16, Wokingham pupils received an average of £4,158 per head, £2,000 per head less than in the best-funded areas.

This figure is expected to stay the same for the 2017/18 academic year, despite some schools benefiting from up to a three per cent increase in funding, and some seeing a reduction of 1.5 per cent under the proposed National Funding Formula, which seeks to even out grants.

The meeting was set up by Reading East's Rob Wilson MP and the effects on schools of the high costs of housing and staffing were discussed.

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Cllr Haitham Taylor said: “Our meeting with the minister was the beginning of a more constructive dialogue around the very local issues our schools and parents are facing and the proposed National Funding Formula.

“The Minister heard and understood our concerns, and has promised to take these on board.

“He has also accepted the need for a separate pot of money for funding the set-up costs associated with starting up new schools.”

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Cllr Baker added: “At the last full council meeting, we discussed school funding, and it was clear that there is cross-party support for ensuring that our schools get the funding they need.

“I acknowledge the support from the Liberal Democrats for this meeting, and it is clear that they articulated similar concerns to ours.

“There is still more work to do, but I believe that the Minister recognises our situation, and we will continue the discussion with him and the Department for Education on what more can be done to improve the situation.”